TaintedLogic's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Metroid Prime Title Theme (Drumstep Remix)]

I think the mixing is solid and the sound design is cool. It was quite slow to progress, though. It's even-textured and climactic into 1:34. I thought you could've done a bit more with the drop. It was hard-hitting, but slow-paced in a way. You also drag the melodic section after the drop on for a bit too long IMO. I enjoyed the glitchy content you started incorporating at around 3:50, though. You could've added a lot more during that second drop, especially as a means of creating some more development. I also thought the repetition at 5:27 was unnecessary, and the fade-out came across as lazy and anti-climactic. I know it's really tough to continue to live up to the standard you set coming off of the contest victory (this goes for just about anyway, btw - not just you), so that's why I want to continue to push you. If you're going to be one of the truly great artists to come out of this site, your work is not done yet. Winning the NGAUC was a good start, and I congratulate you again. And don't get me wrong - this is a good track. I'm just being tough on you because I want to see you continue to improve. Best of luck, man! ;D

trunotfals responds:

AWWWWW well thank you so much for the feedback. i actuallyt started working on this song BEFORE the contest, then just went back to it and mastered it rather than re writing it. Infact, i lovet hat you feel the desire to push me, I like that motivation!!!! maybe ill just re do this!

[Leap of Faith (Infinite Realms)]

I like the heavy, dark piano at the beginning. It leaves a lot of space for climax and contrast. It progresses a little slowly, though. I'm hearing the classic DM-style leads. ;) Also, it sounded like it was really leading somewhere up until around 1:05, but then you stripped away the synths again, making it sound pretty anti-climactic. Generally, I think you could've cut a lot of content in this piece, especially during the first 2 minutes. When you bring on the bass at 2:10 it has an awesome, energetic vibe, although the bass is really up-front in the mix. I suppose I would've liked to see the melodic content take over a bit more at some point before 3:30 or so. I also think the kick might be a bit too loud. In my opinion, the kick (especially if it strikes on every beat) should serve to simply keep the beat going and the energy up, but here it's a little distracting at times. That said, I love all of the melodies, harmonies, and the progression. You might also want to aim for some more dynamic contrast sometime. Creating a re-intro that builds up in a similar way as the first 2 minutes of this piece would be a more effective way of structuring such a long track IMO. Anyway, overall nice work, DM! Keep at it, man. ;)

Dylnmatrix responds:

Thanks man.

I agree that it progresses slowly. Honestly at this point, I've just accepted the fact that I'm not very good at progressive trance or house, as I just like to draw out my ideas too long. Intro is my case in point. At 1:05, when I cut the arp lead out, that's when I actually started the real piano progression, and it's also where I had originally started the track when it had started to be written but nooooo, I had to go and add more to it because I just could.not.stop.writing piano melodies for this damn piece. Then I had to go and add the arp melody because I wanted an ambient electronic synth to support the piano as it progressed to the original intro.

Personally for me, on all the systems I've listened to it on, the bass or kick aren't too loud, they actually balance themselves out with the rest of the synths but it could be the way my system works or the way I EQ my systems outside of my computer. It's actually a million times better than it used to be as well. I think I also just wanted a more bass heavy track, but just didn't execute it as well as I should have haha. It's a problem that was fixed in my tracks by the time I wrote and finished Solar Flare. The way the mix is right now was barely changed from how it was when I originally said I was done with it back in 2013, so that also contributes to it as well.

I'm glad you like the melodies and harmonies though, as that's the point that truly matters to me honestly. Those end up being the parts that I spend the least amount of time on and after I get used to them, I can't change them at all, and I worry that people won't actually like them. (4:08-4:35ish is the only part in this whole track that I truly enjoy and don't care what others think, as that part was so much fun to write and I just love the transition, the way I did the filtering, ugh just everything I did was perfect to my ears.)

Thanks so much for the reviews man, can't wait to see what you think of the others, particularly Blood Moon as you had mixed opinions on it in your two reviews.

[~SW~ 2]

I decided this needed a review. I like the atmospheric intro. It progresses pretty slowly, but I like the instruments. You used just the right amount of reverb. The progression itself is pretty cool. I like the percussion, especially the aggressive-sounding hats at around the 2-minute mark. It's very flowing and spacey, at times soothing and at others strangely angry. The mix is clear, although to be fair there's not a ton of content here to create any mixing conundrums. The ending seemed pretty lazily done IMO, but at the same time I understand that many ambient tracks aren't really supposed to end. ;) I can see what you mean about losing inspiration - you could've done a lot more with this track - but still, love the chill aesthetic. Keep at it, man. ;)

SkyeWint responds:

I could have done a lot more with this. I think at the time I was just intending to have an atmosphere.

Funny thing, the percussion is what most people don't like - especially those hats.

If you want more stuff to be done with a piece though... I finished my NGADM round 2 track!

[Listless]

I like the relaxed mood. It's a bit minimalistic though, and some of your synths sounded a bit hollow and dry, like the one during the intro (0:00). I like that's it upbeat, catchy, and even cute. Kind of sounds like a dialed-back version of "Lucid." Also, do you purposely start all your tracks with the letter 'L?' :P Mixing and mastering is really solid as usual. Texture is well-balanced, if not quite as full as I'm used to hearing from you. I admire your sense of harmony and progression, though. It sounds like something they'd play at a trendy beach-side bar or something. I guess the wave FX at the beginning made me think of that, though...Anyway, overall nice work, Lockyn! Keep up the good work. ;)

Lockyn responds:

Thanks for the review TL :) Appreciate the feedback, been real busy finishing up school stuff. Cheers.

[Tenebrarius]

I like the mechanical wind-up sounds at the beginning. The subsequent reverb-infested lead and cello were beautiful. I think the cello cuts off way too suddenly at :29, though. The mood in this piece is hauntingly beautiful and captivating, but I think you change up the texture of the piece too much during the first minute or so. It has a very fast-paced vibe, whereas I thought it would’ve been better to flesh out some of the ideas you had a bit more. The percussion gets buried in the mix at around 1:15. I love the variety of instruments in this track. The soundscape is beautiful. I wish you had simply connected some of the ideas here a bit more carefully, and some of your transitions seemed a bit rushed, like at 1:50. The chant-like male vocal samples at around 2:15 were cool. They offer this neat call-and-response effect with the more legato female vocals. I thought the synth bass at 3:21 seemed a little out-of-place, yet it did help you transition effectively into the coda. The ending was also enjoyable. You might have needed to consider some dynamic contrast at some point in the piece, yet the phrasing and structure overall is superb (if a little convoluted). Nice work! Keep it up, guys. ;)

9.25/10

This review was written for the Newgrounds Audio Death Match 2015.

LucidShadowDreamer responds:

I've toooootally over used those wind-up sounds by now. I think it's time to take break from them XD
That said, I do love them.
Yeah, dem0lecule is indeed great when it comes to cello magic! Very good catch at 0:29. Though it might feel like a bit of a nitpick, it's very valid. I didn't notice this at all, and I'm sure that many didn't because of that other sound that covers it up, unless you specifically focus on the cello. Maybe you had an easier time finding that as you actually play said intrument :p

As for your next criticism, I think Phonometrologist's review leaves a nice contrast with:
"The Good: I keep going between .21-1:00..."

I think it's more a matter of taste. This track is intended to be pretty fast and straight on point, except for the intro and outro, and looked that way from the very beginning of composing. The sense of climax close to the end comes more from the way the choirs are programmed, and from the more dramatic melodies, which is why I think that the first minute is actually a nice kind of build-up, as it starts of with the base, and adds something new gradually (although pretty fast, I'll give you that).

As for the percussion at 1:15, I pretty much agree. I think it's more that the overall volume feels a bit low for this piece, so if you're using your standard settings, it might give of an illusion of being even lower than it is. But even so, I think the drums should probably be a bit louder at that part, and perhaps the trumpet and horn a bit quiter. Luckily, the drums are not supposed to be in focus at that point (more backing), so it's not too fatal an error. neBSounds commented about the percussion at that part as well, so we will definitely try to note this in the future!

Interesting comment about 1:50, as I actually think it's a great transition (made entirely by dem0lecule). This whole track essentially is built upon the same backing, repeating several of the chord progressions a lot of times, so we've built a lot on top of it to keep it interesting, and not repetitive. But 1:50 is actually a kind of a short breakdown, removing several of the intruments on top, and connecting the track back to 0:36 (if you listen to the backing). Also, I personally feel that this track doesn't need much in way of melodical repetition, as both the chords and the theme stay pretty consistent throughout.

Yeah! I think dem0 did a brilliant job with the choir chants :D I want to learn to do that some day XD

I actually think that the effect firts pretty well at 3:21, as a similar effect was used at 0:28 (although much lighter), and just as you said, because it leads back to the music box. I guess we could've experimented with some other sound designs as well, but I've grown really used to the current one :p

What represents darkness better than something being convoluted? Convoluted = complicated = hard to understand = fear of the unknown = fear of darkness. Yup. Makes total sense...
As for dynamic contrast, I guess that the biggest ones are the intro/outro, as well as the mini breakdown at 1:50, so I guess we could've had some more here, but on the other hand, I like the current pace and intrumentation of the track.

That said, we'll definitely think about your criticism in the future (as we did between Fantasiamaailma and this), and if my vision of the next track we're making is somewhat in line with the end result, I think the track will be much different than this.

Thank you for the review, and great judging work, dude ;)

[Codename: Michael J Fox (NGADM '15)]

I like the upbeat guitar sound here, although I think you could’ve found a more creative way of introducing the piece than with a fade-in. The drums are a little dry. I think they should’ve been a lot more up-front in the mix, with more reverb too. Compressing them might help. The melodic content in this piece is great, and overall it seems well-structured and smooth-flowing. I like the structural relief you offer at 2:25. However, I think you missed an opportunity to play with the dynamic contrast/phrasing a bit more throughout that breakdown section. I wanted to see a more dramatic crescendo into the next refrain, and also some more interesting mini-phrases so that the entire section didn’t sound so structurally flat. The mood here is really cool. It sounds almost victorious by the end, and I liked your idea of using the tempo automation to wind things down. The very end literally made me groan, though. You should’ve used more reverb and/or echo effects (or at least some sort of volume/filter automation) so that the last chord doesn’t cut off so suddenly. Overall solid work! Hope this review helped. Keep at it, man. ;)

8/10

This review was written for the Newgrounds Audio Death Match 2015.

JDawg00100 responds:

Thank you for the detailed review!

[Setting Out]

I like the soulful mood at the beginning, but that instrument you used for the lead is very harsh-sounding. I think you need to equalize out some of the treble tones in that instrument. This piece is very slow to progress, and lacks some textural fill for much of the first minute or so. You tried to offer some structural relief at 1:29, but the mood there is really different from in the first 1.5 minutes. You go from a bare-bones, raw, and even creepy and mechanical vibe to a dreamy, atmospheric, and upbeat one. I’m really confused as to what you intended to be the main themes/moods of the piece. The part at 2:08 sounds much more like the mood at 1:29 than at 0:00 as well, giving the piece the sense of being structurally incomplete and also lacking some coherence. There are some good ideas here, but you need to flesh them out more and also think more about how you’re connecting them with each other. Right now, this sounds like 2 or even 3 separate songs. I’d like to see you continue to work on this after the competition. As for now, I hope this review helped. Keep at it, man. ;)

6/10

This review was written for the Newgrounds Audio Death Match 2015.

SourJovis responds:

Thank you for the review. It's very helpful to know how I can improve the song.

I will replace the lead instrument (the harmonica) by someone whistling. That gives perhaps more of a western like feel. It also has a less harsh sound. I'll have to see how I'll mix it in when I've recorded it.

The first part sounds a bit empty indeed. I'll think about what instruments or effects to add. I'm thinking about an accoustic rhythm guitar and a jew's harp. Perhaps add some nice percussive effects. Maybe it's best to save some of those instruments for later in the song, and instead bring in the organ earlier. I'll just have to figure out what works in relation to the rest of the song. I'm also considering going double speed at a certain point, for the sake of progression. Perhaps with a nice tambourine.

The part after 1:29 has a different mood indeed. That was supposed to be the wide world. It starts of kind of cold. Like there's a vast plane with a lot of wind. I think I'll add a recording of actual wind from 1:29 to 2:08 to make this point clear, and tom make it sound more lively. From 2:08 onward I'll slowly fade it out again.

The part from 2:08 onward is supposed to be a bit more action driven. Like before you were overlooking the windy plane. Now you're riding through it at high speed. I think this part also needs some additions to make it sound more interesting. Perhaps more metalic percussion. Or some woodwind flutters.

You're right about the song beind structuraly incomplete. I think I can fix this by having the theme from 0:00 to 1:29 return after 2:50, this time with the addition of more orchestral instruments so the part 1:29-2:50 acts as a bridge.

I will indeed continue the song after the competition. Working with a deadline can at times be a bit of a problem for me. I've had a very hectic time. My boss went missing and left with all of the money. Now 45 people are left without a job, and I had to write a letter to the councillor for social affairs and employment to explain what happened. We have an invitation to speak to him in person in a few weeks, so at least my letter was succesfull. Also I thought the deadline for this competition was later. When I received a message I had to upload the song in 30 hours I had to rush. On top of that my internet provider was hacked so I had to ask for a delay, so I could upload it halve a day later from a friends place, right before we went on holiday. I didn't think I would win with this song, but I didn't want to cop out and not submit anything either. I'm glad I at least contributed something for the competition. Competitions like this are always nice to get people to listen to your music and give usefull feedback.

Thanks again for all of the usefull advice. I'll improve the song now I have more time. Good luck with the rest of the competition.

[Take-off]

Interesting mood here. I think there are some balance issues here, though. I would’ve tried to keep some of the mid-range tones in that bass at the beginning because for several sections of the piece it’s one of the most engaging things going on. I liked the melodies, and I think the 8-bit instruments fit the moods well. The production quality here is pretty high, too. The transition at 1:22 is a little sudden, and you change the pace really dramatically. I would’ve tried using a tempo automation or something, because the bubbly energy of the first 1.5 minutes contrasts sharply with the drone-like pads of 1:22. Speaking of which, I think the pads are distorting that mid-range bass you have at 2:10. I really like the A-B-A structure this thing has. You did a good job of bringing it full-circle at the end. I also think you needed a smoother transition at 2:51, though. The ending was cool, and it probably wouldn’t make a bad loop if you decided to go that route. I thought you could’ve done a bit more with dynamic contrast and melodic development, though. Slight variations can really add a lot to a piece, especially later on, and I would’ve liked to see you play with the emotions of the listener by experimenting with phrasing more during the middle section (i.e., 1:23 – 2:35). Still, this is nice work overall! Keep at it, Mawnz! Hope this review helped. ;)

8/10

This review was written for the Newgrounds Audio Death Match 2015.

Mawnz responds:

Thanks for the review man. I like that you are straight to the point with your criticism, and that you keep it short and in simple terms. I'll try to take what you've said here in consideration to future songs :)

Thanks again and good luck in future judging!

[One of Those Days]

I love the jazzy vibes at the beginning. Sounds very bluesy. I love the lyrics, and your voice is very soulful. The simplicity makes it feel very organic, down-to-earth and even improvisational. At 1:56, you seemed to be using some sort of reverb effect that I liked, and I also think it enhances the old-timey feel of the piece, but I also think you should’ve applied it to the rest of the piece. I like the structure of the piece, but I would’ve liked to see you add a bit more to the texture. Some simple drums, an acoustic bass, or even some sort of woodwind solo would’ve contributed a ton to the piece while simultaneously making sure the listener stays engaged. It’s a fun piece, but I think you could’ve done a lot more with this. If you wanted to get around adding more instrumental parts, I would’ve at least liked to see you emphasize elements of dynamic contrast or phrasing more at times. Still, as I said, it’s a fun piece. Nice work! Hope this review helped, and keep at it, man. ;)

8/10

This review was written for the Newgrounds Audio Death Match 2015.

ChronoNomad responds:

Hey, thanks for my very first official NGADM judge review, TaintedLogic! Really glad to hear that you dig the bluesy style, and to see that you think my voice sounds soulful makes my day. I didn't want to use the triangular low-pass+LFO effect that you hear at 1:56 too much, mostly since I wanted it to have more impact, but I suppose it could have been applied in other ways or to a lesser degree throughout the rest of the song. I had a few more ideas for improvements late in the game, but was pretty satisfied with the overall vibe and didn't want to end up accidentally wrecking something that already sounded solid. That, and my voice kept going in and out from one day to the next. Summer colds really suck.

I did consider adding some simple ride cymbals and other drum elements to the mix, and also gave thought to the acoustic bass angle, but ultimately decided to be super ballsy and make it all about the piano. The only thing you mentioned that I hadn't really considered was adding some sort of woodwind solo, though a bit of jazzy clarinet or flute would likely have made for a pretty cool addition, as well.

Once again, thank you very kindly for the excellent review! I can hardly believe I'm still in this thing, though I've got an almost insurmountable obstacle directly ahead of me in the form of the LucidShadowDreamer & dem0lecule combo. I'll be doing something quite different in this round, so we'll have to see how it stacks up against whatever those two wild and crazy guys come up with. Cheers!